Maria Strong

EVENTS:  Shot Put F33

AGE:  53

COACH:  John Eden

ATHLETICS CLUB: Athletics Essendon

PARALYMPIC HISTORY: Tokyo 2020

PERSONAL BESTS: 6.82m (15 Jul 2023)

BIOGRAPHY

Swimming coach Maria Strong, was a regular official at local, state and national athletics competitions before starting an athletics career, as a mature athlete, in the late 2010s.
“I saw other throwers compete and decided to have a go myself," Maria said.

In 2019 they won bronze at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney and then two silvers at the Arafura Games in Darwin.

In November 2019 Maria was on her way to Dubai for the World Para Athletics Championships, where they finished fifth in the F33 Shot put with a PB throw of 6.37m. They were one place shy of the medals (fourth) for the majority of the shot put competition until Poland’s Joanna Oleksiuk let out a 6.40m effort.
“I’ve come fifth in my first world event but not only that, it’s the strongest F33 women’s field in history so far,” They said.
“The top seven athletes threw past the gold medal-winning length in London (2017 World titles) two years ago. So I’m happy and proud of what I’ve done.”

Selected for the delayed Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Maria was magnificent, hitting 6.63m in the shot, to claim the bronze medal, ahead of their archrival Poland’s Joanna Oleksiuk. Maria was within sight of the silver medal won who put 6.72m.

In 2023 Maria continued her progress with puts of 6.71m in January and 6.78m in March, ahead of her selection for the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships where she would win silver in the shot with a PB of 6.82m. She went one better in the T72 100m (Frame Running) winning gold in a time of 17.07 seconds.

Selected for her second Paralympic Games in Paris she will compete in the F33 Shot Put.Maria won the Masters Sports Person of the Year at the 2018 Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards.

@ 22 Aug 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au